Perfected!

Jo Yuan sat cross-legged in the dim light of his small room, the remnants of incense curling through the air. In front of him lay several diagrams—blueprints of the Bloodsucking Formation that had killed him in his previous life. His heart beat steadily, though his mind raced. He had died because the formation overloaded his blood core, burning through his dantian and destroying him from the inside. This time, he wouldn't make the same mistake.

He muttered to himself, tracing his finger along the outer edge of the diagram. "I need materials that can handle the extra strain... Something to balance the energy flow." His mind wandered through his knowledge of spiritual materials. What he needed was simple but rare—Ironwood bark, to act as a stabilizer, and Phoenix grass, known for its energy-absorbing properties.

The problem? He had no money. Jo Yuan sighed, glancing at his empty coin pouch. In his previous life, he'd tried to buy everything at once, and it had cost him dearly, draining his resources. This time, he had to be smarter.

"I'll take it slow," he whispered, rolling up the diagram.

First, he needed a way to earn money. Without cultivation, he couldn't take on dangerous tasks, so he settled for small jobs around the town—cleaning, moving supplies, even helping in the kitchens. His co-workers, mostly villagers, didn't take him seriously at first. He was quiet, reserved, and seemed too focused on his own thoughts.

But soon enough, he found ways to make them laugh. Jo Yuan, with his countless experiences from past lives, knew exactly how to read people. When the mood was tense, he'd crack a dry joke, something light to ease the tension. His subtle humor caught the attention of the others, and eventually, they warmed to him.

One of his fellow workers, Lin, chuckled after Jo Yuan made a joke about the elder's cooking. "You're alright, Jo. Always thought you were a bit stiff, but you've got a good sense of humor."

Jo just smiled, knowing that blending in helped him avoid unnecessary attention. His plan was to gather enough funds without drawing suspicion.

Weeks passed, and slowly, the coin purse hanging from his belt began to fill. To his surprise, the materials cost less than they had in his previous life. The city and a lot of villages had just made new trade agreements, bringing in Phoenix grass at cheaper rates. Ironwood bark, though still rare, was easier to find this time around because of a newly discovered grove in the nearby mountains.

With enough money, Jo Yuan purchased the materials he needed. Now, it was time to perfect the formation.

Back in his room, Jo Yuan spread the materials across the floor and returned to his diagram. He made slight adjustments to the smaller nodes in the formation, making sure to place the Ironwood bark at specific points to disperse the energy more evenly. The Phoenix grass would be weaved into the central lines, absorbing excess energy and preventing another overload.

The first attempt failed. The formation sparked to life, but it fizzled out before it could gather enough power. Jo Yuan frowned, his hand resting on his chin as he studied the issue. "Too much energy is leaking from the secondary nodes," he muttered.

It took him three more tries. Each time, he adjusted the position of the small nodes, refining the energy flow. By the fourth attempt, the formation activated smoothly, its red light pulsing steadily in time with his heartbeat.

Jo Yuan exhaled slowly, satisfied. He had done it. The Bloodsucking Formation was perfect.